An interactive map by the Kaiser Family Foundation highlights changes in insurance coverage and financing under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Leveraging readily available data, the resource provides state-level snapshots of Medicaid and insurance exchange enrollment, federal spending for Medicaid and advance premium tax credits, and an estimate of nonelderly people with a preexisting condition who may be declinable if medical underwriting practices return to pre-ACA norms.

As the policy landscape continues to evolve, Sg2 is excited to offer an interactive way for members to get their health care policy questions answered. Register now for the upcoming Experts Live: Q&A With Sg2’s Health Care Policy Team on August 3 for an open dialogue as we explore the latest on the health care policy front. A recording of the May 25 Experts Live call is also available online.

Self-Reporting Symptoms Helps Oncology Patients Live Longer

A recent JAMAstudy showed that “real-time” reporting of patient symptoms helped raise the oncology patient survival rate by a median of 5 months compared to those who did not report. Reporting symptoms more frequently via the web-based tool enabled nurses to more quickly adjust medications for nausea, constipation and pain, leading to increased tolerance for chemotherapy and reduced ED visits. The report concluded the tool may help reduce patient suffering and potentially save hospitals millions of dollars in preventable ED visits. While there may be challenges implementing the tool into EMRs, harnessing technology to improve the quality of cancer treatment shows promise.

Cancer care is changing as big data is being integrated to personalize and guide patient care. Sg2 has developed insights to help providers understand innovations in cancer care and what they can do to stay ahead. To learn more, check out the Sg2 Expert Insight: Cancer Care 2.0: Oncology Comes of Age.

Northwell, Mount Sinai Connect to the Nation’s Largest Public HIE

Two of New York’s prominent health systems have integrated their homegrown health information exchange (HIE) with Healthix, allowing them to have a less expensive and more expansive clinical database for care coordination. Research shows that widespread use of HIEs would save Medicare $63 million in outpatient therapeutic costs by reducing the number of repeated medical procedures. With public HIEs declining over the past few years, providers have turned to investing in privately run HIEs.

Developing a population health management strategy is top of mind for many providers as the health care community continues to examine ways to improve care coordination while minimizing costs. To learn more about your organization’s readiness to develop and implement a population health strategy, Sg2 has created a self-assessment designed to provide a preliminary indication. Please reference the Organizational Self-Assessment attachment in the Sg2 report: Population Health Management.

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As of February 11, 2016, Vizient, Inc. has completed its purchase of MedAssets Sg2 and spend and clinical resource management segments from Pamplona Capital Management, LLC. MedAssets revenue cycle business will continue to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pamplona Capital Management LLP.